Golf club



C. W. DAYTON.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLICATION FILIED MAR.23. 1920.

1,436,579. Patented Nov. 21, 1922.,

V vwm-toz Patented Nov. 21 1922.

UNITED STATES CHARLES W. DAYTON, OF NEW YORK, N.

GOLF cLoB.

Application filed March 23, 1920. Serial No. 868,105;

My invention is an improvement in a golf.

club, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a club so shaped that there will be little orno tendency on the part of the club to drop out of line behind the centre of the ball or to'deflect the ball when it is struck, because of the fact that inthe improved club the centre ofgravity of the head and shaft is concentrated as nearly as possible behind the centre of the ball.

A further object is to provide a club having various faces or playing surfaces, from each of which shots may be made of widely differing character. v

A further objectris to provide in connection with the club a means for counterbalancing the club and shaft, and a means for permittingthe head of the club to be properly positioned with respect to the ball, and to eliminate as much as possible interference with the shot from the striking of the club on the ground. A further object is to provide in connection with the handles of the clubs, molded grips which will indicate to the player the proper place to grip the shaft and the proper manner to hold the shaft in order to obtain the best results with the particular grip used, and especially to indicate to the player and to guide the player in making the improved method of gripping the club known as the overlapping grip.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of my invention, showing the shaft in suitable relation to the head and entering the head; at the heel;

Fig. 2 is a top View of the head of Fig. 1, taken on the line 22;

-Fig. 3 is a side view of a modified form of the invention, showing the shaft entering the head at a point near. the heel;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified construction showing the front 'face without any striking surface;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the head of Fig. 4:

showing the toe in its relation to the head and shaft of the club.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the head of Fig., 3 showing a front view of the heel and its relation to the head and shaft of the club;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of part of the handle of Fig. 1;

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views taken on the lines 88 and 99 of Fig. 7 and Figs. 10 and 11 show modified forms of the improved handle of the invention.

As is known, the heads of the usual clubs extend from the shaft at an obtuse angle and 1n making a shot the club is held with the shaft inclining at an angle of about 15 from the'perpendicular. In swinging the club, because of. the weight of .the head, the length of the shaft and handle, the player must hold the club at an angle. of approximately 15 inprder to swing freely without hitting the ground when putting for instance. I

Hence the player must take into consideration many factors in making the stroke, such for instance as the direction and speed of the stroke, the tendency of the head to drop out of line behind the centre'of the ball, and unless these factors are rightly estimated the shot will be defective and the ball will deviate from the true line of the hole. 1

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the shaft 5 and the head extend at an acute angle with respect to each other. The head of the club is of wood or metal andto the underface thereof there is secured in any suitable or desired manner a base 20,,

and it will be noticed that this base is of greatest thickness near that end which is adjacent to the connection between the" head and the shaft, and that the base gradually decreases in thickness toward each end and toward each side, so that it presents a rounded surface at the underface of the head. The head has various striking faces, as for instance on the face which is toward the observer in Fig. 1 and which is the usual forward striking face of the club. The striking face 1 is circular in form and its centre lies in the centre of gravity of the head when the club is in playing position, that is, when supported from the grip portion of the handle and permitted to assume its normal'position;

The head also has a face 2 on the heel, a

of these faces may be used for striking.

' that the de resslons 6 and 7 are such that In the embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 3, the front striking face 1 of the head is rectangular in shape and of larger area than the face 1. The head 1n this construction also has a toe face 3, and a heel face 2, the latter being circular as shown in Fig. 6.

In the construction of Fig. 4, the head no side faces, but does have a toe face 3" and a heel face 2",.the former being shown 1n Fi 5. V

The improved club is symmetrical laterally with respect to a line passing from the toe to the heel of the club, thus providin an exceptionally correct balance for the clu in all itions thereof.

Inlgs. 1 and 7, the handle 5 is shown as having thumb depressions 6 and for the two hands, the said depressions extendin entirel around the handle and being space apart roin each other'a proper distance and the handle also has depressions .8, four in number for the finger tips of the left hand and depressions 9, two in number for the fingers of the right hand. It will be noted the materi left in the handle is polygonal incros section being square in the present instance. The arrangement of depressions 8 and 9 of 1 and 7 provides for the overlapping grip above mentioned. When the thumbs are in the depressions 6 and 7, and the finger tips in the depressions 8 and 9, the club can be held suspended substantially vertical and in pro ,1 position for striking The rovision 0 'the thumb depressions 6 and on four sides of the handle rmits the cluhto be turned, so that any acemaybeusedasastriking face.

In the modified construction of the handle shown in Fig. 10 the thumb depressions 16 and 17 are likewise arranged on four sides of the handle and the finger rests are in the form of annular depressions 18 and 19. In

Fig. 11, the thumb depressions 16 and 17 are shown on all four sides ofthehandle and finger depressions 18" and 19 are likewise provided on all four sides of the handle. This arrangement rovides for the use of the overlapping gnp, both with the putter and other grips. A

In addressing the ball when teed up in readiness for a drive, the player positions his club as nearly as possible so that the center of gravity of the head is ap roxiinately opposite the center of the ha and prepares for his swing. The roper positionin of the club is a matter 0 judgment and 0 long practice. The rounded extension base .as provided by the resent invention serves to aid the pla r. en the club is rested on the groun "behind the, ball before the;

stroke is made .the extension base raises the main part of the true head into a proper I preferably employ the complete con struction as described above. I have, how'- ever, found that my improved head with the extension base may-be made as a unit and conveniently and successfully used in combination with handles of any ordinary type, and whenso applied incorporates the same advantages as it does when used in combination with my improved handle.

The head of a club in accordance with my invention has its center of gravity lower relative to the striking faces than the present clubshaving a lead weight at the back of the head. This permits the striking faces to be located approximately at the same level as the center of rcussion and consequently affords a solidity of im which is not attainable with the ordinary club. With my improved club it is possible to deliver an impact such as occurs in the ordinary use without producing an noticeable vibration in the handle. This fZature gives the club -a greater driving hood of breaking and by reason of its firm impact affords a eeling of security and confidence to the user. Furthermore, the extension base tends to keep the striking faces away from the ground, and if the club should strike the ground during a stroke the rounded base offers little ssibility of tearing u the turf or breaking the handle of the c ub. The extension base in addition tends to cause the club to raise the ball and give it an underspin because of the fact that the added base is below the center of the clubs striking face. 7

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A If club having a head providedwith at east one striking face, and having a handle secured to the head and forming an acute angle with the major portion assume the proper position for striking the" ball. J

2. A If club having a head rovided with at east one strikin face an having a handle secured to the ead and forming an acute angle with the major portion thereof, and a weight on the under side of the head belowthe striking face.

3. A golf club having a head with a strikmg face at the'toe and with the shaft of the club united to the head at the heel and formmgi an acute an le with .the head, and the hea being provi d'with a rounded ex.- tended base forming" a counter-weight at power and lessens the likelithe bottom of the head below the striking face on the toe when the club is held in playing position.

being\ rovided with a striking face on one side and having a weight on the under side of the, head below the striking face, said weight ,having a rounded under surface and being concentrated nearer the heel ofthe head than the toe.

5. A golf club having a head provided with at least one striking face and having a handle secured to the head and forming an acute angle with the major portion thereof, and a weight on the under side of the head below the striking face, "said wieight decreasing in thickness toward its e es.

is. A golf club having a head with a striking face on the heel and toe and on at least one side, a shaft secured to the head at the heel, and a weight on the underside of the head below the striking face and having a rounded undersurface sloping downwardly from each striking face toward the extreme bottom of the welght.

7. A golf club having a head and a handle secured thereto, the head having a striking face on one side thereof and having a weighted extension base below the striking face, the head extension base decreasing in thickness toward its edge adjacent the striking face of the head.

8. A golf club having a head and a handle secured thereto at an acute angle to the major portion thereof, said head having plain striking faces at the toe and at the heel and on the opposite sides, so that the head is in position for playing the ball with any of the faces when freely suspended by the handle.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' CHARLES W. DAYTON. Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. W001), A. S. VANIMELLE. 

